The following review is the opinion of the review's author [FrostyFare]
and in no way represents the opinions of this website or its staff.

Beware of Sindome!I came into Sindome a few days ago because I love the cyberpunkatmosphere. This was my second stab at the game; the first time itjust didn't connect for me, but I also realized I wasn't being fairto it because it doesn't model well after other MUDs. Honestly, thatis both its greatest -- and weakest -- strength. I had experience withentirely different games like BatMUD and Aardwolf.

Overall, my impression of the game early on was good, but I mustcaution new players about Sindome. Contrary to its claims, it is NOT a'newbie-friendly' environment, and unless you are looking at yourscreen and following along every second of every moment while playingSindome, even new players should be prepared to lose everything as Idid. You must accept the militant terms of the game, and anycomplaints levied against it are opportunities for mockery anddisinterest in the community.

What I've basically realized about Sindome after playing severalhours of it is that: if you love RP and you love cyberpunk, Sindome isone of few options, and the rich RP (role play) environment deliversvery strongly. In fact, this is what I love about Sindome. Walkingaround the city and talking IC (in-character) is both rewarding anddeeply immersive. This cannot be overstated enough. I have absolutelyno complaints in this department, and I suggest that if you trySindome, please keep RP in mind as it is both expected and against therules to excessively talk OOC (out-of-character) while playing. Thatisn't to say you can't ask questions OOC, but it's more or lessexpected that if you have an IC question, you will need to find an ICanswer. What does that mean? It means if you have a problem playing asyour character, you'll largely be out of luck finding an answer fromanother player unless you're both IN character and communicating inthe game, in the same room. This is an obscure concept for mostgamers, and it also means there are no easy solutions to your problemsshould they arise (and trust me, they will). You can't even reallyfind it outside the game as it is against the rules to discuss ICconcepts or events outside Sindome. If you do, you will probably bebanned.

Where Sindome collapsed for me is how it negates to inform you thatbeing AFK (away from keyboard) even momentarily can spell doom foryour character. It's explained that in the first two weeks, there issome measure of 'protection' for new players. That is to say, no onecan kill you. However, Sindome is like PVP on steroids. Not only canyou be killed while walking down the street or performing some menialtask in any room at any time, you can lose your character or getmugged and lose all of your money (as I did). While I was certainlywithin the boundaries of the two week protection, the game failed toexplain anywhere during it's tutorial or '@newbie' guide thatrobbery is completely fine. Oops!

In my unfortunate situation, I was called urgently away from mycomputer for OOC problems. Real life works that way sometimes, andadults can't be expected to monitor each and every second of ourin-game time when those instances arise. Unless you're alreadyfamiliar with Sindome, and you happily accept and agree to it'smasochistic rules, be prepared for a punishing ride. Let me be clear:the environment is designed to reflect real life as much as itpossibly can, and this can be a wonderful and engaging virtue ofSindome. It strengthens the rich RP environment, encourages very realconsequences, and it keeps you on your toes. However, there isvirtually no 'safe' area beyond the tight confines of habitats likecoffins, cubes and apartments which are all purchasable in-game.Coffins are initially a free asset (up to two weeks) but require someworking knowledge of how to navigate the city. For new players, thisis a tall request should something OOC require your immediateattention, and you're clear across town away from the safety of yourcoffin.

Back to my story: while I was away dealing with my real-life crises,my character stood in the middle of the street in broad daylight andwas mugged by another player. I lost every chyen (cyberpunk currency)that I had earned on me. I had spent the previous day playing 8-10hours, familiarizing myself with Whitmore City, earning money, talkingto other IC players and learning what I could. Let me rewind a littleto just how involving and punishing the game is, even from the momentyou step in.

You are given no weapon and no clothes when you enter the city. Theonly thing you are given is a small sum of currency which will provideyou an opportunity to purchase some clothes to cover your 'naked'character who is apparently running around in the snow in this city(despite the game's aim to be overtly realistic). I guess hypothermiais off the list. In this way, you are provided no way to defendyourself. Again, you can only rely on two assets for the first twoweeks: no players can kill you, and the public coffins are free to'sleep' in. Everything else is perfectly acceptable. Sleepingincludes not only logging off from the game but also being AFK, Iguess? It's not entirely clear to me, and neither is the guide. Whatthe newbie tutorial (if you can call it that) fails to mention is thatevery moment in the game is a risk to not only die but to loseanything you're carrying.

After this frustrating encounter, I scrolled up urgently to find outwhat might have happened and realized had I not been AFK, I wouldn'thave known what to do anyway. One of the earliest drawbacks to thegame is an entire lack of a combat tutorial. There are a few briefcommands mentioned in the newbie guide, but there is no opportunity toput the knowledge to use. Had I not been called away from my computer,I'm not entirely certain I would have been any better off since I hadno prior experience with combat, being mugged or defending myself.More importantly, I had no weapon and no means to defend myself.Perhaps I could have ran away, but I have no idea the mechanics ofbeing mugged since the game utterly fails to explain anything aboutthat event in any way. That is no exaggeration. It's not mentionedanywhere in the guide. It was a harsh lesson in Sindome's mechanics,and as I quickly learned, the player community is largely indifferentto your ills.

To draw some contrast here, a game like EVE (which is notoriouslypunishing) is a children's romp compared to Sindome. No, it's not aMUD, but it's an MMORPG, and in it the risk / reward mechanisms canbe similarly very high. It might seem like hyperbola, but Sindome hasnot only created an environment where you can lose everything, but thedemands to get back into the game (should you die) are steep. Afterlogging in for the first time, you are frequently alerted that youneed to write a '@history' for your character. This should be a wellthought out piece of literature explaining your newly createdcharacter's backstory and how it connects with the Sindome universe.I spent a couple of days revising a draft that the game's admins hadinitially rejected because my history didn't go far enough to explaineach and every skill I had put points into when I created mycharacter. It also required me to read a lengthy timeline onSindome's website to find a hook where my character logicallyconnects to the world. Having a character history is important becausejob opportunities are largely nonexistent in the game without them,and without money, you're not likely to make it far in the walls ofWhitmore City.

Should your character die, be prepared to lose it entirely and startthe process of character creation all over again (including anentirely new written history). Also, you won't be allowed to use thesame character name, history or any part of their original identity.It's permanent death for that character if you don't have a clone.Attempting to return a similar character to the game could result in asuspension or ban from Sindome. Whew. This is a game, right?

After my mugging, I urgently went to the help channel to inquireabout losing all of my money while doing nothing more than standingaround in the game. Several players were quick to explain that thiswas all part and parcel of the game, and if I didn't like it, I canleave. From my perspective as a new player, it made me feel largelyunwelcome and dismissed. I fully understand that it's differentstrokes for different folks out there, and if you like a high riskgame, Sindome might just be your cup of tea. Be warned though: Sindomeand its community are not gentle to new players. Learn as much as youcan about the game before entering. Read everything three times (ormore), minimize your OOC talk, and get comfortable with being steppedon like a bug. For me, it just wasn't a fun experience. I play gamesto relax and escape the very real stresses of life, not trade one evilfor another.